Cleveland Browns CEO Joe Banner, who is on his way out of the organization, had the new offensive and defensive coordinators reporting directly to him, according to a league source. The source said Banner was a bit of a control freak and structured the coaching staff so the coordinators answered directly to him. Coordinators generally answer directly to the head coach. New general manager Ray Farmer, who was the assistant GM at the time, was not involved in the search for a new head coach.

Tennessee Titans head coach Ken Whisenhunt had reservations about the Cleveland Browns' management team in their pursuit of him for their head coach opening - specifically Joe Banner. The Browns interviewed Whisenhunt in 2013 as well, and Banner reportedly told him that they wanted more of a "championship coaching staff." Whisenhunt was miffed that Banner, who had never coached, criticized his choice of assistants.

Former Cleveland Browns general manager Joe Banner was strongly opposed to owner Jimmy Haslam's intrigue of Greg Schiano as a potential head coach. That could have been the catalyst to a rift that developed and ultimately led to Banner's dismissal.

Cleveland Browns CEO Joe Banner said the team has no intention to trade WR Josh Gordon. "We're absolutely not shopping Josh," Banner said. "We're not going to shop him and we don't have any plan or intention to trade him."

Cleveland Browns chief executive officer Joe Banner said the team will be willing to trade up or down in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft if it produces better value. Banner said a trade likely would not occur until a team is on the clock during the draft.

Cleveland Browns CEO Joe Banner said the team dropped out of the running for Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly because of his indecision. "We removed ourselves from the process," Banner said. "We really liked Chip. He's intriguing, a very different thinker, and very smart. But you could see he was uncertain what he wanted to do ... The fact he committed to Tampa Bay last year, backed out, then seemed all year to be leaning toward going to the NFL, then being so uncertain with us, we just felt it was too big a gamble. If there was no ambivalence, we may have offered him the job."